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Development Projects Coming Soon!
Is it tacky to use your own site as a portfolio item? Maybe. But I’m the evolution of this site is something I’m pretty proud of. Over the last few years I’ve used this site to try out new technology and test new tools, and I’m continually making updates and improvements.
First created in summer 2018, this site was originally a single-page layout, created with HTML, CSS, and a few Bootstrap elements. I was proud of the clean, modular design, the flawless responsiveness, as well as the Portfolio section, which I created with CSS Grid.
The original site had WordPress installed as a subdirectory to manage blog content. In 2019, I merged the two together, modifying the blog theme to include the original HTML in front-page.php. However, the combined CSS of the themes was clunky, and styling issues were introduced, including some problems with responsiveness and cross-browser compatibility.
The current iteration is a new WordPress theme, featuring flexible ACF layouts, clean SCSS stylesheets, and additional Bootstrap features. The site speed has increased dramatically, and the design has been altered for improved accessibility.
As an intern for Utah State University Extension’s 4-H office in 2015, I got to work on Discover 4-H, a series designed to help people start new 4-H clubs for children and teens 3rd to 12th grade. Each peer-reviewed publication features curriculum for a specific subject, and includes plans for six club meetings. These publications are available to download for free and have been used by thousands world-wide.
During my time at 4-H, I was able to develop, write, format, and edit multiple publications, including curriculum for Cloverbuds, groups specifically for children grades K-3.
To download complete publications, click here.
The first stage of development was research. I often started with an outline a previous intern had created with suggestions for activities and sources; however, in many instances I reorganized the lessons or scrapped them all together.
Curriculum I was the primary writer for includes: Discover 4-H Cloverbud Creative and Expressive Arts, Discover 4-H Cloverbud Science and Technology, Discover 4-H Cloverbud Personal Development and Leadership, Discover 4-H Archaeology.
In other instances I acted as an editor, working with curriculum authors from around the state to make revisions, including adjusting for notes from peer-reviewers, and implementing changes from the copyeditors.
The design for Discover 4-H had already been created when I started; however there was no set style guide or InDesign template, so I had a learning curve from beginning to end (and as a result, my first few publications have a few cringe-worthy mistakes). I used InDesign to lay out the text and images and Illustrator to create an icon for each publication.
Below are some sample pages from Discover 4-H Archaeology.
In addition to front-end development, I’ve created customized sites for clients using Weebly. These projects were for debut authors, so part of the process included evaluating their business goals, budget, and plans for future growth, then selecting the platforms that worked best for them. They also included some visual branding and the creation of brand assets.
I created this report in 2017 for a financial firm based out of New York. It was 47 pages long, and was meant to be viewed as a single page rather than a spread. After working with the client to create a design they loved, I formatted the report in InDesign and created graphics and data displays.
The content on the sample pages has been changed for the client’s privacy.
In January, 2016 I was asked to head a redesign project for the American Night Writers Association (ANWA) website. I was given a list of problems that needed to fixed, but the list consisted primarily of “symptoms” that didn’t address the underlying design and usability flaws. Over the next twelve months, I worked to restructure the site, increase usability, and improve visual appeal, with the goal of creating a cleaner, sleeker ANWA.
While ANWA membership had historically fallen into a specific demographic, in the years prior to the beginning of this project it had begun to change, and the board wanted to create a more professional brand. Additionally, in 2016, mid-project, ANWA members voted to allow men to join for the first time since it’s creation over thirty years ago.
This provided an interesting challenge from a UX perspective, because we needed to retain familiarity for our less technologically-adept users while still making it easier to use and navigate for new members. Visually, the organization’s brand, which until then had previously tried to stay feminine and romantic in design, needed a more modern, neutral update.
Studio Project
Summer 2017
Created in InDesign
Freelance Project
Fall 2017
Created in InDesign
Freelance Project
Fall 2016
Created in InDesign
This project was for a design class at Arizona State University. We each picked a number and a letter out of a bag at random, then created a symbol from them.
I chose the letter B and the number 6. Below is a selection of my process.
I had used an earlier version of the symbol to create branding for the city of Huntington Beach, CA. Although I ultimately ended up changing the symbol, I had fun creating a business system for the city, including updating a utility bill to make it more visually appealing.
This project was for a motion graphics course at Arizona State University (ASU). Footage from the first location shown was filmed by me on my iPhone, while footage from the second location was filmed by my teammates at ASU. I then edited the footage in After Effects, adding simple titles and transitions.
